Scores of local hopefuls audition for TV's The Bachelor

Breanna Pollum (left) of Novi accompanies her friend Ashley DiMaggio of New Baltimore to the auditions of “The Bachelor” while Larry Sobolweski of Sterling Heights fills out paperwork to try out for “The Bachelorette” on Thursday at Tin Fish in St. Clair Shores. MIKE FERDINANDE -- FOR THE MACOMB DAILY

Contestants line up at Tin Fish on Thursday to be considered for an audition for “The Bachelor” or “The Bachelorette.” MIKE FERDINANDE -- FOR THE MACOMB DAILY

Scores of young women from around southeastern Michigan looking for love -- and the chance to be on national television -- flocked to Tin Fish Restaurant in St. Clair Shores on Thursday to audition for the upcoming “The Bachelor” reality TV show.

Most of the romance hopefuls were in their 20s and dressed to show a lot of skin in order to grab the attention of producers of the ABC-TV show that is now in its 19th season.

“This is exciting,” said Catie Webster, 23, a hair stylist from Birmingham. “I mean -- I’m young, I’ve had some relationships that didn’t work out quite as I had hoped, so why not give this a shot?”

The Detroit market was one of the last of 20 metropolitan areas around the United States that “The Bachelor” conducted auditions in as they gather a pool of thousands of potential candidates. Producers also interviewed a number of men for the “The Bachelorette” for a 2015 show.

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For several contestants, the audition was not new ground.

Larry Sobolewski, 47, of Sterling Heights, fell in love and married a woman he met after being named one of Michigan’s “most eligible” bachelors from a local competition back in 1994. But it didn’t last and they divorced in March, so he set out to give love another chance, on TV, of course.

“I’m trying all over again,” said Sobolewski, a nursing student and former auto worker who had been married and divorced previously. “I’m out here looking for love like everyone else. I want to have kids, a good wife, a nice house -- the whole package.”

Detroit has always been fertile ground for contestant for the show, according to Davida Vaccaro, a senior casting producer for ABC. She said the show has held auditions in the past in Novi, but the crew liked Tin Fish, so they came back for Thursday’s round of tryouts.

Although finalists are not compensated for their TV time, they do receive all-expenses accommodations to whatever exotic locale the show will be taped at, starting in Los Angeles.

Vaccaro said producers look for contestants who are “polished” and have “lots of personality.” She said viewers are quick to pick their favorites from the first episode and enjoy watching how things develop with the various personalities.

“Dating shows are taking over daytime soap operas,” she said. “It’s like a glimpse into life and sometimes people find happiness and sometimes they have their hearts broke. People want to see that journey.”

Count Breanna Pollum, 23, of Novi, as one of those who likes to watch the journey. She escorted her friend Ashley DiMaggio of New Baltimore to audition, but wouldn’t try out herself. But she said both are big fans of the show.

“We love it,” Pollum said. “It’s the only show where we scream out loud when we see what’s going on. There’s a lot of drama and we really get into it.”

Registration on Thursday began at 5 p.m. and about two dozen people were in line by then. Within an hour, more than 100 potentials had signed up and were ushered into a section of the bar where they filled out release forms and questionnaires, had their photograph taken and then settled in for private one-on-one interviews with producers who asked everything from their favorite past to their last relationship.

Many found the process almost therapeutic.

“It was so easy,” said Webster, the Birmingham hair stylist. “It was like talking to a girlfriend on the phone. I loved it.”

While they waited for their turn, a number of the female contestants had conversations with their male counterparts. Some seemed like they found dates for the weekend.